The focus of this public outreach session, as with the previous session that was held one year earlier, was to gather public input for the plan. Following an introduction by Dwarka and Zezula, participants broke off into one of five working groups. Facilitators then rotated group to group every fifteen minutes in order to give all participants an equal voice in each section of the plan.

“The purpose of this strategy is to reactivate the entire length of the Main Street corridor and reassert Poughkeepsie as the economic and cultural center of the Hudson Valley. It will capitalize on all of Poughkeepsie’s assets while redressing enduring concerns about building vacancy, crime, public safety, open space, and the underutilization of land.”

My task was to facilitate Action 4. Overall, discussion topics varied from group to group. Key points are highlighted below:

Safety concerns along Main Street, including crime, lack of community policing and the need for well-lit streets

Parking meter prices and parking meter readability, which are creating extreme difficulty for residents and business owners living in Middle Main

Using resources we have on Main Street, which don’t require expensive projects or new construction

Creating temporary & popup events including Food Trucks, Public Art and Public Events

Establishing anchor businesses along Main Street, which will serve as premier destinations for residents and visitors. These businesses in turn would attract new commercial development along the Main Street Corridor

Making Main Street unique in the sense that it provides goods, services and experiences, which are unique to Poughkeepsie and the Mid-Hudson region

Making use of Public-Private Partnerships in order to fund ongoing development

Like the Waterfront Redevelopment Strategy, it will require more input from the City of Poughkeepsie Common Council Members and other stakeholders before being accepted. The key points mentioned above were only a small part of the wider array of public comments that came out of the information session. For the interim, Kevin Dwarka and Tiffany Zezula will be reviewing comments and then adding recommendations into the plan.